U.S. Archbishop says Catholic soldiers should not serve on firing squad for Fort Hood shooter

Catholics serving in the United States Army have been told by Archbishop Timothy Broglio that they should seek exemption from participation in a planned firing‑squad execution of former Army major Nidal Hasan. The archbishop, who provides spiritual care for Catholic service members, issued a strongly worded statement urging any Catholic assigned to the squad to request to be excused, citing the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The Department of Defense announced that Hasan’s execution will be livestreamed on December 3, describing the public broadcast as a deterrent. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the government will ensure the event is “public” so that “people need to understand that there are serious consequences for these types of things.” The plan follows President Donald Trump’s approval of the execution.

In his statement, Broglio raised several objections to the proposed execution. He asked whether the United States intends to “imitate the terrorists of this world and make a public spectacle of barbarically killing our adversaries.” The archbishop, who presided at the funeral of one of Hasan’s victims, emphasized that participation in a firing squad conflicts with Catholic doctrine and moral teaching.

U.S. Army regulations permit soldiers to request religious exemptions or accommodations, though the Army has not yet explained how members of the firing squad will be selected. The archbishop’s call for Catholic soldiers to be excused is therefore directed to a process that already allows for such requests, but the details of its implementation remain unclear.

The livestream proposal has drawn criticism from members of Congress, human‑rights organizations and other observers, who argue that broadcasting a state execution is unethical and could serve as anti‑American propaganda. The controversy highlights a broader debate over the appropriateness of publicizing capital punishment and the role of religious conscience within the armed forces.